Showing posts with label ReAnimator Coffee Roasters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ReAnimator Coffee Roasters. Show all posts

Monday, September 25, 2017

River Wards Cafe




Subject: River Wards Cafe
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Long have I looked upon Port Richmond and awaited the arrival of a quality coffeeshop. As a fan of the local Polish outposts, I have wished for a coffeeshop to throw open wide their doors in this under-appreciated Philly neighborhood. Thankfully, my wait has come to an end.

Monday, September 11, 2017

West Chester Coffee & Ice Cream Bar




Subject: West Chester Coffee and Ice Cream Bar
Location: West Chester, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Many people find it odd that my wife does not really care for coffee. Maybe it was God's way of balancing out my great coffee affections, but every time we go to a coffee shop, she simply declines a drink and stands to the side, not even desiring a latte or spot of tea.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Constellation




Subject: Constellation
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Astronavigation is a skill severely lacking in our robot-dependent world. I recall many times as a child staring up at the night sky, trying to use the stars for directions. As a young adult, I remember my first unobstructed night sky while camping in the New Mexico desert, a sight that instilled a divine awe of the majesty and enormity of the universe. And thus, after lots of star gazing, I've learned that looking for dependable basics is key, like using the Big Dipper to find Polaris so one can head north. Similarly with coffee, a few key signs in a coffeehouse, like their roaster and reputation, can provide a directive beacon for some great coffee.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Endgrain Coffee Bar



Subject: Endgrain Coffee Bar
Location: Pitman, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Update 11/16/2022: Coffee roasting and bar skill is definitely worth a visit.

Update 11/14/17:
In the past two years, Engrain has started roasting their own coffee and offering a growing line of different coffees, ranging from light to dark. 


It's no secret that small towns on the east coast have a devastatingly small amount of great coffee. Chalk it up to the high cost of real estate, or to the low patronage from the give-me-drive-thru-or-give-me-death majority. Whatever the cause, it remains a daunting task to find a quality brew outside of major city limits.

Monday, July 06, 2015

United By Blue


Subject: United By Blue
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Early autumn mornings around a youth group campfire taught me the necessity of good coffee amidst outdoor excursions. While some nights yield a perfect nights sleep under the starry sky, others are met with surprises (such as bears or torrential rain) that cause for a less fulfilling slumber. When you wake up cold, wet and/or exhausted from bear hide-and-seek, who wants to face the upcoming day with a cup of sludge? No one.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Viora Lid


As I have learned in the past years, there are legions of coffee lids out there for your paper cups. Back in my early coffee days where I cared more for the caffeine than the flavor, I recall life with the crummy fold-the-lip-back flat lids that more often than not proved one tear away from an epic spill. Then when I began frequenting quality establishments, I graduated somewhat exclusively to the Solo Traveler, a fine top that offered more drink stability, though it took some time to master little things like not positioning the spout at the cup seam, and how to use your tongue tip to control flow.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

CC: ReAnimator Coffee Roasters



Subject: Reanimator Coffee Roasters
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


First impressions are a bit of a red herring. I often tell one of my favorite friends that when I first met her during a job interview, I had written her off as a snotty and demanding person by the end of 45 minutes in the same room. Of course, I turned out wrong and years later, her tribe and mine both are fond cohorts.

The misleading nature of first impressions goes for businesses as well. For example, the first time I made the acquaintance of ReAnimator Coffee Roasters was in a cozy Thai restaurant in South Philadelphia outfitted with sub-par coffee equipment. Another friend and I were enjoying a leisurely and delicious lunch when I glanced to their drink area and made out what I later learned to be a bag of ReAnimator Coffee. Not liking coffee with Thai food, I passed on the coffee but I recall my brain making an unconscious frowny face on the brand.

But like most ill-conceived notions, that frowny face quickly turned into a gaping smile with my first real interaction with ReAnimator. Then after my second and third positive run-in with ReAnimator, I became convinced that this then new-to-the-scene Philly coffee roaster was destined for greatness. Thus, when the first ReAnimator brick-and-mortar shop opened this past autumn, I was all too excited to try out their wares in their own house.

Located at one of the five points of the intersection along with Loco Pez and Cedar Point Bar and Kitchen, ReAnimator Coffee adds a much-needed caffeine haven to the area. Walking through the front door at the building vertex, I sauntered through the minimalistic interior past various tables and chairs until I reached the gorgeous, custom concrete counter at the back. After some brief barista banter, I ordered an espresso and a pourover of their Ethiopia Kochere. The espresso, pulled short with brown crema, smacked of blood orange, chocolate nibs, some lime zest, sage and a touch of Wheat Thins, making for a bright and delicious infusion. The pourover version of the coffee proved sweeter and more mellow, with notes of honey, peaches, candy caramel, wheat cracker, birch and kale within a medium body.

Needless to say, I had a field day at ReAnimator. Make ye your way to Fishtown for some great coffee.